University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) sits just outside Washington, D.C., giving students access to employers across consulting, finance, government, and technology. For undergraduates interested in consulting, the Robert H. Smith School of Business has a student-run consulting group, while university-wide programs offer additional pro bono client work and career support. Importantly, some of these opportunities are open to students beyond the business school.
Consulting placement
The latest Smith undergraduate employment report covers the Class of 2025. It reports that 96% of graduates had accepted a job, started a business, volunteered, joined the military, or been accepted into graduate school within six months. Among graduates’ full-time employment outcomes, 5% were in consulting. Other leading industries included financial services (29%) and professional services (25%).
The report lists 346 companies with known full-time hires. EY and KPMG each hired at least 20 Smith graduates, while Deloitte hired between 10 and 19. PwC appears in the 10–19-hire category, and Accenture Federal Services appears in the 3–4-hire category.
Consulting clubs and experiential learning
Snider Consulting Group (SCG) is a student-run organization that provides consulting support to other UMD student organizations. Its teams work on strategy, research, management, and process improvement, giving members a chance to apply consulting methods to real organizational challenges. The group describes a selection process that considers academic performance, prior consulting-related experience, networking, and relationships with previous club leaders. New analysts participate in faculty-led workshops and benchmarking analysis before moving into client projects.
The university’s Innovation Gateway page describes SCG’s partnership with EY, including opportunities for EY consultants and senior leaders to mentor members and provide project guidance. It also describes semester-long client engagements lasting three to four months.
Students outside Smith can also consider the Impact Consulting Fellowship. The program offers hands-on, pro bono consulting projects for B Corporations, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations with an impact focus. Undergraduate students from any major are eligible to apply as general participants. The program has operated for more than 18 iterations, and its website lists a Summer 2026 cohort.
Another option is Consult Your Community at UMD, which provides pro bono consulting services to small businesses in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas. Student teams work on semester-long engagements and develop client communication, research, presentation, and recommendation-building skills.
Career Services support
Smith undergraduates can use the Robert H. Smith School’s Office of Career Services and its HireSmith platform. The undergraduate employment report and career-services resources provide information about employer recruiting, internships, and full-time opportunities. The school also hosts its own undergraduate business career fair, separate from the university-wide fair.
The University Career Center serves students across UMD. Handshake is the central platform for job and internship listings, employer events, career fairs, and campus interviews. Students can also use the center’s career resources to explore industries and prepare for applications.
Students are also provided access to Management Consulted, a comprehensive consulting-prep and coaching company. It offers structured flagship programs, subscription libraries, resume editing, and 1-on-1 coaching sessions with former MBB consultants. Students should sign in with their school email to be able to gain access to the platform.
Recruiting timeline
Consulting and finance recruiting at UMD can move early. The University Career Center advises students that internship applications may open as early as a year before the position begins, while full-time hiring often takes place early in the fall before spring graduation. Students targeting consulting should start networking and case preparation well ahead of application deadlines, rather than waiting until senior year.
UMD’s recruiting calendar includes both the university-wide Career & Internship Fair and the Smith Undergraduate Business Career Fair. In fall 2026, the university-wide fair ran October 1–2, with a virtual event on October 8; the Smith undergraduate fair took place September 18. The university also holds a spring career fair, with a business, consulting, finance, operations, and entrepreneurship industry grouping. Check Handshake and SCG announcements for specific employer presentations, networking sessions, and interview dates.
